German › Vocabulary › Numbers
In short: German numbers 1–12 are quick to learn (many rhyme with English), 13–19 follow one pattern — and from 21 the famous twist begins: Germans say numbers backwards. 21 = einundzwanzig, “one-and-twenty”. Every number below is spoken aloud. 👇
21 = einundzwanzig
“one-and-twenty” — the backwards rule, spoken. You’ll never forget it now.
0 to 12 — the foundation
| # | Word | Say it like | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | null | nool | |
| 1 | eins | ines | |
| 2 | zwei | tsvy | |
| 3 | drei | dry | |
| 4 | vier | feer | |
| 5 | fünf | fewnf | |
| 6 | sechs | zeks | |
| 7 | sieben | ZEE-ben | |
| 8 | acht | ahkht | |
| 9 | neun | noyn | |
| 10 | zehn | tsayn | |
| 11 | elf | elf | |
| 12 | zwölf | tsvuhlf |
13 to 19 — the teen pattern
Just like English: digit + “zehn” (teen). Only 16 and 17 shorten slightly — sechZEHN loses its s-sound, siebZEHN drops the -en:
| # | Word | Say it like | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | dreizehn | DRY-tsayn | |
| 14 | vierzehn | FEER-tsayn | |
| 15 | fünfzehn | FEWNF-tsayn | |
| 16 | sechzehn | ZESH-tsayn | |
| 17 | siebzehn | ZEEP-tsayn | |
| 18 | achtzehn | AHKHT-tsayn | |
| 19 | neunzehn | NOYN-tsayn |
The tens — and how to build ANY number
| # | Word | Say it like | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | zwanzig | TSVAHN-tsish | |
| 30 | dreißig | DRY-sish | |
| 40 | vierzig | FEER-tsish | |
| 50 | fünfzig | FEWNF-tsish | |
| 60 | sechzig | ZESH-tsish | |
| 70 | siebzig | ZEEP-tsish | |
| 80 | achtzig | AHKH-tsish | |
| 90 | neunzig | NOYN-tsish | |
| 100 | hundert | HOON-dert |
💡 The backwards formula: ones + und + tens, written as ONE word. 21 = einundzwanzig · 64 = vierundsechzig (“four-and-sixty”). Practice saying your age — that’s the number you’ll use most.
🇩🇪 Why backwards? Old English did the same (“four-and-twenty blackbirds…”) — German simply kept it. When a German tells you their phone number, the pairs come reversed too: “vierundsechzig” means write 64, not 46. Every learner makes that mistake exactly once, usually at a bakery.
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Frequently asked questions
How do German numbers work after 20?
Backwards! Germans say the ones digit FIRST: 21 is einundzwanzig — literally “one-and-twenty”. 64 is vierundsechzig — “four-and-sixty”. It feels odd for exactly two days, then your brain flips the switch and it becomes automatic.
How do you count from 1 to 10 in German?
Eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn. Most are close cousins of English (drei/three, sechs/six) — hear each one above and you’ll have them memorized by dinner.
Is it ein or eins?
Counting uses eins (“eins, zwei, drei…”). Before a noun it becomes ein/eine: ein Bier, eine Frau. If you’re just counting or giving a phone number, eins is always right.